Last



Patented Apr. 29, 1930 ERNEST W. DURKEE, OF

PATENT OFFICE LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS LAST Application filed July 21,

The present invention relates to lasts for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes, and more particularly to boots and shoes particularly intended for use by golfers, or those engaging in other sports, although it is not limited to use in shoes of this character.

The last of the present application is particularly adaptable for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes of thel type illustrated, de-

1o scribed and claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 294,447, filed July 2l, 1928.

It is essential that athletes, and particularly golfers, should be enabled to obtain a firm grip with their feet, in order to assume the proper stance and position, and in order,

also, to prevent slipping of the feet, particularly while driving or hitting. Efforts have been heretofore made to produce shoes which would be possessed of these desired capacities,

but all such attempts, so far as I am aware,

have been directed to the outside of the shoe,

by providing the outsole with non-slipping calks, ribs, grooves, projections or other ground-gripping elements. These prior attempts have resulted in preventing slipping of the shoe on the ground, but have not resulted in the production of a shoe wherein the golfer could obtain a satisfactory grip with his feet, and as a result such shoes have not stood up under the Wear and tear of golfing,

the continual gripping action of the feet of the golfers quickly wearing out and breaking down the shoe, particularly at the ball and toe portions thereof.

An important object of the present invention, therefore, is the provision of a last on which a shoe can be manufactured, and which shoe will be provided with means to enable the golfer to obtain a firm grip within the shoe, which is a highly desirable and beneficial achievement.

In order to obtain the satisfactory results above briefly mentioned, I provide, on the bottom of my novel last, a projection, located at a point corresponding to the inner ball of the foot, and also provide another projection, located at a point corresponding to the great toe, said second projection preferably not being as large in area as the first mentioned projection. The portion of the bottom of the 1928. Serial No. 294,446.

last between these two projections is on the same plane as the rest of the last bottom, viz., the normal foot surface.

'Ihese projections, corresponding. to the inner ball and great toe of the foot, result, in the shoe manufactured on such last, in two depressions, one in which the inner ball of the foot fits, and another in which the large or great toe of the foot fits. The insole surface between these two depressions will be at the normal foot level, and the wearer is thus enabled to obtain a firm grip of his foot within the shoe, the depression for the great toe enabling the wearer to curl said toe in a natural gripping action.

This is an important feature, and one which I believe to be novel, and have therefore claimed the same broadly inthe present application.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a last having rounded bottom edges around its entire periphery, with the exception of the extreme toe portion of the last. This feature of rounding the bottom of the last is important, particularly in the manufacture of my novel boot or shoe, and particularly also when utilizing the novel insole of my copending application Ser. No. 294,448, filed July 2l, 1928, said insole being curved to fit the rounded last bottom, and thus forming, in the shoe in which said insole is incorporated, a strong reinforcement for the foot of the wearer.

This last described feature I also believe to be novel, and have therefore claimed the same broadly in the present application.

Other features of theinvention, details of construction, and advantages, will be hereinafter more fully pointed out, described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

Fig. l is a side elevation of a last embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the last illustrated in Fig. 1; j

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on the line 3 3 ofV Fig. 2;

UJI

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 4 4 of F ig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View on the line 5 5 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on the line 6--6 of Fig. l.

Referring now to the drawings, for a particular description of the invention, l designates a last constructed according to my present invention, and having,on its bottom, a projection 2. This projection 2 is located in a position corresponding to the inner ball of the foot, and forwardly of this projection, and adjacent to the same edge of the bottom of the last as the projection 2, is a second projection 3, this second projection?) being located in a position corresponding to the great toe of the wearer.

The bottom of the last between these two projections, indicated at 4, is on the same plane as the rest ofthe bottom of the last, and corresponds to the normal or natural foot level this strip of the last bottom being quite narrow, to accentuate the grip obtained in the shoe built on said last. The projection 2 is of greater height than the projection 3, thus forming, in the shoe manufactured on said last, a depression for the inner ball of the foot which will be Adeeper than the depression formed for the great toe of the foot by the projection 3, the portion of the insole j between these two depressions being on the normal or natural foot level. The projection 2 is also slightly longer than the projection 3, as the inner ball of the foot will require7 for comfort and gripping purposes, a larger depression thanthe depression provided for the great toe.

The entire bottom edge of the last is rounded, as illustrated at 6, 6, with the eX- ception of the eXtreme toe portion, as indicated at 7. This rounding of the bottom edge extends from the toe, on one side, completely around the heel of the last, and to the toe on the other side; Thus, when the insole of my copending application Ser. No. 294,448 is lasted on this novel last, the edges of said insole will be shaped to conform to the rounded edges of the last bottom, and when the shoe in which said insole is incorporated is com` pleted, the raised walls of the insole will form a rein-forcing and strengthening element completely around the shoe, against which the foot of the wearer will bear, instead of bearing directly against the upper materials, pardesirability of my novel last will be instantly apparent to those skilled in the art.

IVhile I have necessarily described my present invention somewhat in detail, it will be appreciated that I am not limited thereto, but may vary the size, shape and arrangement within reasonablywide limits without departing from the spirit of the invention.

My invention is further described and defined in the claim as follows:

In a last of the kind described, two pro-- jections on the bottom thereof located adjacent to the inner edge of the last, one in a position corresponding to the metatarsal joint ofthe Oreat toe, and the second projection located in a position corresponding to the proX- imal phalanX of the great toe, the firstV project-ion being of greater height and length.

than the second and a substantially narrow portion of the normal last bottombetween said projections, whereby corresponding recesses and an intermediate ridge-like gripping portion will be formed on the insole of a shoe made on said last.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. f

ERNEST W. DURKEE.

ticularly when endeavoring to get a grip. In

prior shoe construction, when endeavoring to grip with the foot, the bending of the foot would cause a bearing thereof against the upper materials, deforming and frequently breaking the same.

The usual projecting formation for the outer ball of the foot, as illustrated at 8, is also provided.

The advantages, importance, eiiiciency and 

